A former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, has been remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service’s center over alleged fraud and money laundering.
This comes after the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to remand the ex-PRTT boss pending the determination of the case.
The judge, Mr Okon Abang, who gave the order, adjourned the matter till Oct. 30 for commencement of trial.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Maina’s son, Faisal, is also being arraigned in the same court on a separate but similar charge.
Faisal’s case is yet to be called as at the time of sending this report.
According to the report, the anti-graft agency is arraigning the former pension task team chairman on a 12-count charge bordering on “money laundering, operating fictitious bank accounts and fraud.”
The development is coming after Folashade Ogunbanjo, a judge, ordered the forfeiture of 23 property linked to him.
The judge gave the order following an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC.
Read Also Abuja Court orders forfeiture of 23 properties linked to Maina
EFCC’s motion was supported by a 30-paragraph affidavit which it brought pursuant to section 17 of the Anti-money Laundering Act.
Maina is accused of being involved in pension fraud running into over N100 billion.
The Federal Civil Service Commission dismissed him in 2013 for “absconding from duty” but he returned to the country in 2017 and was reinstated as a director in the interior ministry.
Following outrage, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered his dismissal and demanded a probe of his recall.
NAN
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